Utility shelf for laundry tubs



March 25,1952 w. w. RIGSTAD UTILITY SHELF FOR LAUNDRY TUBS 2 Sl-IEETSSi-IEET 1 Filed April 11, 1946 I m/eutor 1 z T! m m I F m 8 T M M r i L. w

March 25, 1952 w. w. RIGSTAD UTILITY SHELF FOR LAUNDRY TUBS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed April l l, 1946 I u ueutor mLL IAN; v2}? Patented Mar. 25, 1952 UTIL-ITY SHELF FOR LAUNDRY TUBs William Walter Rigstad, Detroit, Mich., assignor of forty per cent to Russell James Haynes, De-

troit', Mich.

Application April 11, 1946, Serial No. 1,371

c 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in utility shelves forlaundry tubs for the purpose of providing convenient storage space in connection with the use of recognized standard stationary laundry tubs.

An important object of invention is to provide a shelf attachment which may be easily and quickly secured in position to the tub.

A further object of invention is to provide a detachable shelf of this character embodying means for securing the shelf in a desired adjustable position to provide for proper drainage from the shelf into the tub. 1 I j i a r A further object is to provide avdevioe of this character of simple and practical construction, which is neat and attractive in appearance; relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advant'agesreside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating the use of several shelves secured in position at the front and sides of a laundry tub.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on a line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view taken substantially on a line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a similar view illustrating the use of the bendable tab as the drainage adjusting means for the shelf.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified shelf construction.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on a line 6--6 of Figure 5.

Figure '7 is a front elevational view.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on a line 8-8 of Figure '7'.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary detail of a modified adjusting means for the shelf embodying a set screw construction.

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on a line Ill-Ill of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary detail of a further modification in the adjusting means for the shelf.

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken on a line I2-l2 of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a plan view of another modificationin the shelf construction, and

Figure 14 is a sectional view taken on line |4-l4 of Figure 13. 7

Referring now to the drawings in detail and first with respect to the form of invention illus-.- trated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, the numeral 5 designates the shelf generally which may be constructed of light weight metal or other suitable material and formed with an upturned flange '6 at its side and front edges and with the rear edge of the shelf free and formed with a downwardly curved lipl. g V

A pair of reinforcing Webs 8 are formed at their upper edges with flanges 9 for welding or otherwise suitably securing to the underside of the shelf 5,,the webs 8 being connected by a cross brace l0 preferably welded to the side of the web.

The shelf is adapted to rest on the upper edge of a stationary laundry tub II with the webs 8 positioned in front of the tub and an angle member I2 is welded or otherwise secured to the underside of the shelf adjacent its rear edge at right angles to the webs 8 and provided With set screws l3 for clamping the shelf in position on the tub in a manner as will be apparent from the inspection of Figures 2 and 3 of the drawmgs.

The upper portion of the rear edge of the webs 8 is spaced from the front surface of the tub H as indicated at M and the lower portion of the web 8 is formed with a vertically extending bendable tab [5 which bears against the front surface of the tub in clamping engagement therewith. By bending the tab l5 laterally as indicated at IS in Figure 4 of the drawings, the inclination of the shelf may be adjusted to provide for proper drainage of the shelf into the tub.

As shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, one or more of the shelves may be attached to the upper edge of the tub to either the sides or front thereof, or to the partition I! usually provided in stationary laundry tubs.

In Figures 5 to 8 inclusive I have illustrated a modified shelf construction in which the shelf l8 may be constructed of light weight metal, plastic or other suitable material and provided with integrally cast or molded longitudinal and transverse webs l9 and 28 projecting downwardly from the underside of the shelf. The lower portion of the inner edge of the longitudinal webs I9 is formed with the bendable tabs 2| engaging the front surface of the tub 22.

One or more integrally cast transversely extending ribs 23 also extend downwardly from the underside of the shelf for engaging the inner surface of the tub 22.

In Figures 9 and 10 a modified clamping construction is shown for the shelf and embodies a. front transverse brace 24 between the longitudinal webs 25 and braces having bosses 26 formed thereon through which set screws 21 are threaded for clamping against the tub 28.

Figures 11 and 12 show the lower portion of the longitudinal webs 29 formed with lateral bosses 30 through which the set screws 3| are threaded for clamping against the tub 32.

The adjustment of the set screws 21 or 3| raises or lowers the front edge of the shelf to adjust the drainage thereof.

Figures 13 and 14 illustrate a further modified shelf construction in which the shelf I 33 is provided at its underside with a clamping member 34 of strap material which is bent to extend downwardly in front of the tub 35 to provide a brace 36 at the front of the tub and the rear end of the strap is bent downwardly behind the tub 35 as shown at 31 and is provided with a set screw 38 .for adjusting the inclination of the shelf on the tub. The surface of the shelf 33 may also be provided with cross reinforcing ribs 39.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the shelf may be constructed of any suitable material and easily and quickly secured in position on the upper edge of a stationary laundry tub and the drainage of the shelf may be regulated by raising or lowering the front edge of the. shelf by meansfofthetabs or the set screws 21 and 3! and 38-of the several modifications.

.QIn-view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that'a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of the device will be quite. apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

'It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully compre- 4 hended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A shelf for laundry tubs adapted for resting on the upper edge of a tub, comprising a rib projecting downwardly from the shelf and engaging one side of a wall of the tub, and a depending cross web carried by the shelf and having a laterally bendable vertical edge engaging an opposite side of said wall to secure the shelf in different inclined positions thereon.

2'. A shelf for resting on the upper edge of the front wall of a tub, comprising a depending bottom rib on said shelf for engaging said wall inside the tub, and a depending vertical bottom web on said shelf opposite said rib having a vertical tab projecting from one edge thereof for engaging said wall outside the tub, said tab being laterally bendable to raise or lower the shelf into different inclined positions.

3. A shelf according to claim '2 wherein said web is provided adjacent said edge with lateral bracing members connected to said shelf for reinforcing said web against bending when said tab is being bent.

WILLIAM WALTER RIGSTAD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Great Britain Mar. 8, 1937 

